?Reported by Mike Siciliano of WrestleView.com

On Saturday, March 12, 2005 at 10:39 AM EST

Since the onset of the column, I have had a tremendous amount of emails telling me what they think of the product, and what they think of my opinions in my previous six chapters of the Palace column. I would like to take the opportunity, pieces at a time, to respond to each of your emails in column format, to make sure you guys realize two things.

I always read your emails.
I will respond to each of them, in some way, shape or form.

Here, is a link to drop me a line about anything pro wrestling.

With that, let's get started on chapter 1 of "Responding to the Will of the People..."

One of the biggest things that has been shot back to me is my opinions on Flair and HBK. Ok. Let me try and explain a couple of things. Number One. I do NOT discount either man's career. And yes, I do realize that out of the two of them, HBK is probably more physically capable of handling a schedule, and making the product work. A feedback noted that he thought Angle vs. HBK at Mania would be a classic and possible show stealer, and he couldn't be more closer to the truth. The competing styles, the enormous personalities on both aspects will make this contest a story for the ages. I only hope WWE takes it to the next level once Mania is done, by either bringing Angle to Raw, or HBK to Smackdown. Personally, I'd like to see HBK go to Smackdown, it could open up some new doors for him as his twilight continues.

Now, don't get me wrong, Flair deserves to go out on top. But, he needs to go. A friend wrote me that he is tired of cringing during every crooked backdrop that Flair executes, and he could not be more on the button. Flair does need to go out as the legend, not the pansy that he is being portrayed. And, yes, FOR EVERYONE who told me, I KNOW it's a storyline. I met Flair prior to Wrestlemania 20 at the signing in New York City, my kid has a picture with Flair in the May 2004 issue of Raw magazine. He was a legend in that aspect, he is a legend pure and simple, and he should be treated, even as a storyline, as the legend that he is. This pensive, apprehensive Ric Flair makes me want to puke. Where is the man that literally took the business by storm and dropped it on its ear? Show me that man, and I will shut my mouth, really quick.

Ok. On to other topics. I had a friend write me saying the brands should be brought back together to increase storyline opportunities, and he specifically used Hurricane going for the cruiserweight title. Unfortunately for every WWE fan, I don't think that Vinnie Mac is going to be shrinking brands anytime soon, and if he hasn't seen fit to take Hurricane, a class cruiserweight if there ever was one, and bring him back to challenge for the title, then I do not think it is ever going to be in the cards. Although the brand extension's disappearance would be vital to the stabilization of the tag team division, either by making more teams or eliminating one of the titles, bottom line, I doubt you will see any of these options come down the pike any time soon, because Vinnie Mac is hell bent on trying to make these shows work as two separate entities.

I got someone, and I too have heard it from sources, however accurate they may be, of a possiblre Muhammad Hassan vs. Hulk Hogan match at Wrestlemania 21. However beautifully put up there it could be from a storyline perspective, does any one out there really want to see Hulk Hogan compete in a WWE ring again? How many times can be bounce back and forth like a volleyball before the whole schtick just gets old?

Another feedback I got is not including Kurt Angle as one of my personal favorites, and why I didn't consider him one of the top heels. Quite frankly, I do. But, at the moment, he is not the top heel on Smackdown, the champion is. And, as much as I can't stand saying it, JBL has grown in to the role of the top villain on Smackdown. Angle is a legendary character that has ruled in the professional wrestling business for close to a decade. But, his injuries have made his role in the company slightly more diminished. If he can figure out a way to get healthy, he could resume his role as champion, but currently, as the path leads, he will probably be forced in to a quick retirement, sooner, rather than later.

People have been telling me the possibilities are endless for the Piper's Pit segment at Wrestlemania. I couldn't agree more. But, the question remains, what is the eventual development following that segment? Is Austin going to come back semi-full time as a manager? Is Piper going to have any role in WWE whatsoever? What is Piper's role in WWE going to do to his status in TNA? There are some answers for the more hardcore wrestling enthusiast that will hopefully be further developed following this segment. It should be extremely entertaining, but, quite frankly, I would like to see these characters step aside for the other talent trying to make a name for themselves.

Which leads me to probably the most intriguing interpromotional match at Wrestlemania. Reaction has been nothing but positive to Randy Orton's challenge to the Undertaker. It is almost impossible to predict a winner. Yes, Undertaker's streak is that of legend, and something that never would be equalled by any superstar at any time. However, if Orton is ever going to see the light of a World title reign again, this match could be proven vital in the eventual development of Orton's status back to world title prominence. Of course, something else would be forced to happen sooner rather than later, involving a certain Greenwich, Connecticut native losing the championship.

But, the question on the table is this. If this is the way Wrestlemania is going to go, why did they go the route they did at the Royal Rumble with the casket match between Undertaker and Heidenreich? It's obvious that the feud is over between the rookie and the legend, but wouldn't it have been nice to see a reunion of the Brothers of Destruction one final time as Undertaker's streak goes to 13-0, which would've been a lock in the previously predicted tag match pitting 'Taker and Kane against Snitsky and Heidenreich. Don't get me wrong, feedback has shown, and I agree totally, Heidenreich and Snitsky not being on the card is a benefit to Wrestlemania, but quite frankly, it's still a puzzling situation to contemplate.

Look, I can go in to the old guy/new guy holding down debate till we're blue in the face. There are some characters in WWE that need to be refreshed. I won't go in to more specific details about it now, let's just say I wouldn't mind seeing a few fresh new faces come in to the limelight.. With that said, let's discuss one of these faces...

Edge. Let's take the Lita/Matt/Edge situation out of the equation, and just talk about his wrestling situation. His new heel persona is problematic. It's not one of being a evil persona, but one of an insane one. I don't think insanity fits Edge's persona one bit. Evil, yes. Insane, no. He needs to tweak it a bit, and then we could discuss his prominence as a top heel on Raw. It's got potential, but it's not there yet, IN MY OPINION. Perhaps the powers that be in WWE think otherwise.

Ok. Now, quite frankly, I need to address this personally. The Intercontinental title defense at Wrestlemania. I am NOT moaning about no title defense in the event of the six way ladder match instead. I just find it peculiar that a title so steeped in WWE lineage is not going to be defended for the 2nd consecutive Wrestlemania. Quite frankly, the ladder match should be a classic, I can't wait to see it. But, why can't all the championships in the WWE be defended in its so called Super Bowl? That is the debate to be discussed at this time, not to turn around and gripe that it's obviously not going to happen. I can accept it, but the question still stands.

I have had a lot of people express positive feedback about the characters on Smackdown, specifically Carlito, Dupree, Jindrak, and London. While personally, I think London has the shot of being one of the best cruiserweights since Rey Mysterio, Dupree's 'french phenom' gimmick is too much of a castoff on Undertaker's, Jindrak needs to find a niche on his own, Carlito, well, yes, he is doing his job as a heel, because I can't stand him, but still, I can't stand him.

Some of the characters I have heard people say don't belong on Smackdown are the Divas, Heidenreich, and Hardcore Holly. Holly will never leave the WWE. If he has not left in the 10 plus years of competition, he will not leave at all. Heidenreich still needs a ton of development, whether it be on Smackdown and back at OVW. The Divas on Smackdown are excellent eye candy, yet, are they truly capable of competing on a wrestling basis, that is, last I checked, what the WWE is supposed to stand for. World WRESTLING Entertainment.

Anyway, this is just a quick reply to a lot of the feedback that has come in, and I will continue to reply to them in tow as I get them. Please remember this, I always read my feedback, and I welcome each and every one of them. Drop me a line at PALACE@WRESTLEVIEW.COM and let me know what you think.

Till next time, with some original stuff, KIMOSABE, SUMO!?!?!?."